Just wondering if someone can advise me as to which type and thickness of extruded polystyrene rigid foam insulation to get to install underneath an Intex Ultra Frame 16 x 32 that will hopefully go up in 2-3 weeks? Thanks so much.
Hi there! I love that you are building a pool for your dogs. I have a boxer that would love to swim with us, but I haven't tackled the issue of dog entry and exit. As for the insulation, if you search for the thread "AGP Padding" you will find some answers. Sorry, I don't know how to add a link to it here.
I used 1 inch thick tongue in grove foam board (link below). It was pricey, but well worth it. You can probably get away with 1/2 inch, but I went with one inch because my pool is 5 foot and I didn't want it to compress. And it didn't. Trust me, this foam is strong, and smooth.
I used the 1/2" extruded polystyrene 4'x9' sheets from Home depot. I thought it would be to skinny but it works great. I did also put an old nylon carpet under the foam. People said it would really smell with the water splashing all the time. Considering it came from a house where dogs peed all over old carpet ( I left it out side all winter) it worked. My 1 yr old lab pup goes in the pool sometimes on here own. She can't touch the bottom but the foam feels really nice. I tried to be super carefully to not dent the foam while taping it down and then my little herd of goats paraded across it leaving little hoof marks. Oh well I can't feel any dents. It was super hard pulling the liner over the foam, not sure why but it was like the liner suctioned it to the foam.
I got my pool used so it came with used stairs and it makes it easy for the pup to get in the pool but the pup uses the ladder to get out.
I went with foam thinking it was too hard to haul the sand in a wheelbarrow? Not. It was a hard thing for me to use foam BUT the foam will never wash away when we have gulley washer downpours.
I used 12 tons of 1 inch crusher run rock first, then 5 tons sand (post #75), then I used 3/4 inch tongue and groove from lowes and taped them together with 3.75 inch gorilla tape, so far I have no gaps at all in the bottom. (post #93) I did not use the tarp.
I probably went way over board with leveling the pool but its within 1/2 inch level on all sides
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